George Michael: I'm Not Ashamed - Towleroad Towleroad George Michael phoned in to a UK radio show to respond to reports that his civil partnership ceremony with longtime partner Kenny Goss had been canceled because of the furtive Hampstead Heath cruising incident that has been splashed across the papers: “I have got no issue with cruising. I’ve talked about it many times. This is no more of an issue than I ever said it was, it’s never been an issue between us. In actual fact, we didn’t have our ‘wedding’ because we knew at this point in time in the run-up to the tour and with all the rubbish I’ve had to put up with in the last six months, we wouldn’t get a small private wedding, which is what we want. I don’t want a big lavish wedding. I wanted something small and quiet but I don’t even think that we’d get away with that at the moment. There would be intrusion.

So we postponed it on that basis.” He also told the radio host that he’d recently bought Kenny a £1 million present for their 10th anniversary and he thought that should buy him some leeway with respect to his nocturnal habits in public parks: “We had a lovely 10th anniversary party and actually my 10th anniversary present to him cost me a million quid so I reckon I should get away with more then. I would actually have to do something he dislikes before the wedding was off.” And the singer denied he was ashamed by his actions: “There can’t be shame in a situation unless the person is ashamed and I’m certainly not that…I don’t want people to think my life is troubled when it’s not. I think I should be able to be what I am to young gay people, a man who’s managed to succeed in the industry for 25 years.” Ashamed or not, I think Michael is a bit deluded that his industry success cements his status as a role model.

Unfortunately, the public has a notoriously short memory and I think most young gay men, if he’s even on their radar, may now just see him as that 80’s singer who kept getting caught with his pants down. TV Warms Up This Week to ‘Summer House,’ ‘Beaches’, ‘Throwing Shade’ and more Check out our weekly guide to TV this week, and make sure you’re catching the big premieres, crucial episodes and the stuff you won’t admit you watch when no one’s looking. Your new favorite batch of utter garbage people are here courtesy Bravo. This… Jennifer Holliday Tells ‘The View’ She Wasn’t Aware That People Weren’t Over the Election: WATCH Jennifer Holliday sat down with the women of The View to talk about her decision to withdraw from performing at Trump’s inauguration. Joy Behar asked Holliday what her lapse in judgment.

Said Holliday: “The lapse of judgment was that I di… Anti-Gay Radio Host Rick Burgess’s Daughter Comes Out and Gets Told She’ll Go to Hell Brandi Burgess, the daughter of homophobic conservative Christian radio host Rick Burgess came out of the closet in an op-ed in which she said “I’m praying for my father.” Rick Burgess is the host of the popular Rick & Bubba sho… Indiana Republican Kills Anti-Transgender Bill A bill that would have prevented people from being able to switch the gender on birth certificates has been killed by an Indiana Republican who said she won’t give it a hearing. The Indy Star reports: Rep. Cindy Kirchhofer (pictured), R-Beech G… 30th November 2005, 12:00 AM George Michael said:“It's wonderful that gay marriages will become legal and it is long overdue“ Former Wham! Front man, George Michael has made public his plans to marry long term partner Kenny Goss when gay weddings become legal in Britain.

The popstar who has been in a ten year relationship with Mr Goss said that they plan to register their partnership shortly after the Civil Partnership Act comes into force in England and Wales with a ceremony due in the early part of 2006. The singer said: “‘I’m sure Kenny and I will be doing the old legal thing, but we won’t be doing the whole veil and gown thing. It’ll be relatively soon after it comes in, probably early next year.” He added, “”I want Kenny to have his rights just as I want mine. It’s wonderful that gay marriages will become legal and it is long overdue.” George Michael is due to be attending Elton John’s marriage to long term partner David Furnish in December. BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Star to sue over 'cruising' claim Star to sue over 'cruising' claim Watch the interview George Michael has said he is to take legal action against a man who claimed he had a gay encounter with the singer. Allegations of "cruising" on London's Hampstead Heath were printed in the News of the World, but Michael said he would not sue the paper or its owner.

He does plan to sue photographers for harassment, however, and denied calling off a civil ceremony with his partner. But he admitted seeking "anonymous and no-strings sex" at what he described as "the best cruising ground in London". Michael, 43, told BBC News 24: "I'm suing the individual involved who I have never, ever seen, let alone wanted to have any kind of sexual encounter with, and I'm currently investigating suing the secondary sources of libel." I have done nothing this year against the law, I've done nothing to encourage talk about my sex life George Michael He claimed those sources had added to "Rupert Murdoch's story" by saying his long-term partner Kenny Goss had called off their civil partnership ceremony - but when he had received ï¿½1 million, he had reconsidered holding the event. "These are things that are not really acceptable," Michael said. However, he said he was not prepared to sue the News of the World or Mr Murdoch.

"I'm not talking about money, I'm talking about [whether] you want to be destroyed." 'Little bit strange' He said he was taking legal action against the photographers "because they're harassing me and I should not have to worry about who's watching me at 2.30 in the morning". He said he was "sick" of coverage of his private life. A very large part of the male population, gay or straight, totally understands the idea of anonymous and no-strings sex George Michael "I have done nothing this year against the law, I've done nothing to encourage talk about my sex life. "The question is not whether I bring it to the public, but it is why do I have to defend it in public because I don't want to talk about it at all." Regarding his nocturnal activities in north London, he said: "I don't know anybody who actually goes to Hampstead Heath at two o'clock in the morning for anything other than the reason of playing about with another member of the human race.

"If they are there, then they are a little bit strange or they just don't know the local area." He went on: "A very large part of the male population, gay or straight, totally understands the idea of anonymous and no-strings sex. Michael and Goss recently marked their 10th anniversary as a couple "The fact that I choose to do that on a warm night in the best cruising ground in London - which happens to be about half a mile from my home - I don't think would be that shocking to that many gay people," he said. "Until such time as the straight world is not attacking people for cruising, I'd say the gay world could actually keep that to themselves, just for a little bit longer." Michael's problems with the law include being cautioned by police in March for possessing cannabis following his arrest in London's West End in February. He had been found by police asleep at the wheel of his car. In 1998 he was arrested in a public toilet in Los Angeles after attempting to solicit an undercover police officer. His conviction for lewd conduct resulted in a $450 (ï¿½270) fine and 80 hours of community service.

h2g2 - Sir Elton John - Singer/Songwriter - Edited Entry The great thing about rock and roll is that someone like me can be a star. - Sir Elton John Elton John is a British institution. He is one of the UK 's most successful singer/songwriters, with a string of hits spanning more than three decades. The flamboyant star has changed his image over the years from his outrageous outfits of the Seventies and Eighties to a more sedate look in the 1990s, but his distinctive voice remains one of the most recognisable in the pop world. Reg Dwight Reginald Kenneth Dwight was born on 25 March, 1947, in Pinner, Middlesex. His parents Sheila and Stanley were divorced when he was young and his mother remarried. He was accepted into the Royal Academy of Music when he was 11, having taken up playing the piano at the age of four. He dropped out just before the final exams , but continued doing what he loved most - making music. His first band, 'Bluesology', was formed in the early 1960s and he turned professional in 1965.

Never happy with his given name, he borrowed a name each from fellow bandmembers - saxophonist Elton Dean and singer Long John Baldry, added Hercules - and Elton Hercules John was born. Elton John Elton's distinctive look, which seemed to epitomise the Seventies Glam Rock era, has evolved over the years; the BBC's retro music show TOTP2 often shows Elton's old hits where he's stood at the piano wearing his trademark glasses, platform shoes and outrageous outfits, belting out his songs. His nickname is the 'Rocket Man', which comes from his second hit of the same name, although Rod Stewart calls him 'Sharon'. In 1973, Elton and his partners started their own record label, Rocket Records, signing artists such as Neil Sedaka, Colin Blunstone, Cliff Richard and Kiki Dee as well as using it to release his own material between 1976 and 1999.

Even though Elton had 13 Top Twenty hits between January 1971 and March 1976, including a number two position with 'Rocket Man', it took a duet with Bradford -born Kiki Dee (the first European Motown artist) on 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' to earn him a coveted number one spot in July 1976. In 1975, Elton played the 'Pinball Wizard' in Ken Russell's big-screen adaptation of the rock opera Tommy, an impression which remains to this day. In 1979 Elton became the first Western rock star to perform concerts in Israel and Russia. When gigging in Russia for the very first time, he was given strict instructions not to perform 'Back in the USSR' but he played it anyway, and the crowd loved it. A recording of I Saw Her Standing There, a Lennon-McCartney song, by the Elton John Band (featuring John Lennon and the Muscle Shoals Horns) reached number 40 in the UK charts in March 1981.

Other collaborations had been planned but were cruelly thwarted by John Lennon's murder 1 in New York in December 1980 2 . In September 1988, seemingly going through a metamorphosis, Elton put over 2,000 items of his personal memorabilia up for sale at Sotheby's famous auction house, raising over £4m for his AIDS charity. These included his Pinball Wizard high-heeled boots, his feather boas and hundreds of pairs of spectacles which had been his trademark for many years. I didn't want to go onstage looking like Tina Turner's grandmother anymore. Elton has been true to his word and since then you only see him in suits tailored by the likes of Versace and Armani and designer glasses. In November 2000, he announced plans to sell a few items of clothing which had been sitting around his various homes (with proceeds donated to AIDS charities). How many is a few? Just 20,000, including his 50th birthday outfit. Elton's true passion is for performing and if you have ever seen him perform live or even on the television, this shines through.

He has an incredible and magical way of engaging and capturing the audience, and this is one of the reasons that he is such a huge success around the world. He is one of those rare artists who enjoys equal popularity both in the UK and the US , as shown by his seven consecutive number one records in the US album charts. Elton was so impressed by the award-winning movie Billy Elliot, which is about a young boy who battles against his working class family to fulfil his ambition of becoming a ballet dancer, that he made it into a musical. The plot closely mirrored his own childhood struggle to realise his dream of becoming a star. At the preview performance in March 2005 at the Victoria Palace, London , Elton said: I could barely watch it, I was crying so much. It moved me because I could see myself in Billy. It was like my own childhood and how I broke out into my dream. All those characters, like the dad, I recognised as people in my past. I've never connected so emotionally with anything like it before.

Today Sir Elton John is arguably one of Britain's most successful recording artists, rivalling The Beatles , Sir Cliff Richard and the Rolling Stones, performing in world and nationwide tours, and making regular appearances at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas , USA. Professional Partnerships In 1967 Elton met lyricist Bernie Taupin , who was born and raised in Lincolnshire . Taupin has been Elton's main writing partner on and off for many years. It is a partnership often considered to be almost as important as Lennon and McCartney , and has produced some of the most well-known songs in British pop music history. In addition to his work with Taupin, he has formed other partnerships with the likes of songwriters Gary Osborne and Tim Rice, with whom he created the music for the Broadway stage productions of The Lion King and Aida, as well as Disney's The Lion King. Charity Work Elton has had problems with alcohol abuse and addictions to drugs in the past and has suffered from bulimia . After being cured of his own demons he threw himself into charity work to make a difference. In 1990 he began fighting for a cause which he felt very strongly about - AIDS.

He founded the Elton John Aids Foundation , which has raised over 13 million dollars for AIDS and AIDS-related problems. His collaboration on the cover version of 'That's What Friends Are For' 3 raised millions of dollars for AIDS charities and won Grammies for the four performers. Recently he teamed up with Alessandro Safina and re-recorded his smash hit 'Your Song' raising money for Sport Relief and the Elton John Aids Foundation. Also in 1990 Elton pledged to donate the royalties from all his future UK singles to combat AIDS. Two years later, he made a similar statement donating the royalties from his USA singles. Awards and Honours Elton and Bernie Taupin were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992, and Elton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. Elton John was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1995, the same year he was awarded the Polar Music Prize , the Royal Swedish Academy of Music Award. At the end of 1997 Elton was awarded a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II for services to charity and music.

Elton has won Grammy Awards and an ' Oscar ' - 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight?', from The Lion King , won Best Original Song and the film's soundtrack won Best Original Score. He has written many other songs for films that have gone on to become smash hits. The full list is here: IMDb - Elton John . Elton John was honoured at the 42nd Grammy Awards as 2000's MusiCares Person of the Year. He was the recipient of the Kennedy Center Honor in 2004. Personal Life On 14 February, 1984, Elton married German sound engineer Renate Blauel in Sydney, Australia , stating that he wanted to start a family . Unfortunately the marriage didn't last although they remain friends; the divorce settlement reportedly cost Elton around £10m. After their divorce in 1988, Elton admitted to being bi-sexual but later 'came out' as being gay. I think people should be free to engage in any sexual practices they choose; they should draw the line at goats though.

He has had other partners but is now with David Furnish, a film-maker who made the documentary about Elton entitled Tantrums and Tiaras. The couple had a joint stag party and on 21 December, 2005 4 , Elton and his long-time partner exchanged vows 5 and rings in a civil partnership ceremony at Windsor Guildhall, the same place that Prince Charles married Camilla eight months before. Elton had already turned down an offer of £5.7m from a US television channel for the exclusive rights to cover his civil union, and the ceremony took place in private. The couple said they wanted donations to be made to various AIDS charities, rather than for people to buy them presents. Elton doesn't do things by halves and the invitations to the post-ceremony celebration produced a guest-list to die for, making it easily the celebrity party of the year, if not the decade. Graham Norton said on his BBC ' topical comedy discussion ' The Bigger Picture afterwards that it was as if 'fairy dust had been sprinkled over Madame Tussauds'. Victoria Beckham and Elizabeth Hurley tried to out-bling Elton in the dripping-diamonds stakes.

The queue of limousines and Rolls-Royces to Elton's Windsor mansion caused a two-mile tail-back with excited locals celebrity-spotting through the windows of the crawling cars.

Those celebrities attending Elton's civil partnership party included: Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, director Tim Burton and his fianceé Helena Bonham Carter, George Michael and his partner Kenny Goss, Ringo Starr , Cilla Black , Lulu, Sting and his wife Trudi Styler, Dame Shirley Bassey , Bryan Ferry, Bryan Adams, Des O'Connor, James Blunt, Jamie Cullum, Elvis Costello, Ronan Keating, The Osbournes - Ozzy, Sharon, Jack and Kelly, Joss Stone, Gary Barlow, actors Sir Ian McKellen, James Nesbitt, Sir Michael Caine and his wife Shakira, actresses Sharon Stone and Joan Collins, TV make-over queens Trinny and Susannah, BBC TV host Graham Norton, TV chef Gordon Ramsay, designer Donatella Versace, model Claudia Schiffer and her director husband Matthew Vaughn, UNICEF UK Ambassador Jemima Khan and her actor boyfriend Hugh Grant, Little Britain stars David Walliams and Matt Lucas, England cricket captain Michael Vaughan , footballer Frank Lampard, golfer Nick Faldo and tennis stars Greg Rusedski and Boris Becker.

The lavish reception following the ceremony cost an estimated £1m. Elton's Friends She's a hoot. She's funny. She has an incredible sense of humour. - Elton talking about Prince Charles' wife, Camilla. Elton was partly responsible for bringing John Lennon and Yoko Ono back together again, following the Madison Square Garden concert on 28 November, 1974, and was asked to be godfather to their son Sean Lennon who was born on his father's birthday, 9 October, in 1975. During 1985 he appeared at Wham!'s farewell concert, for his friend George Michael. He appeared as himself in the film Spice World for his friends the Spice Girls. 'Posh Spice' Victoria Beckham and her husband England captain David Beckham are close friends with Elton, as is Scottish comedian Billy Connolly . Elton is good friends with model and actress Elizabeth 'Liz' Hurley and he is one of her son Damian's godfathers. He also played host to his friends Elvis Costello and Diana Krall when they married at his mansion in December 2003.

Elton and the Princess At the funeral of Gianni Versace in July 1996, it was Princess Diana who comforted Elton, who had been a close friend of the murdered fashion designer. Diana and Elton had previously fallen out over references to Prince William and Prince Harry in a foreword Elton had written for a book which contained homoerotic pictures. On 6 September, 1997 Elton gave the most famous live performance of his career to his largest audience ever, at the funeral of probably the most famous woman on the planet at that time. Bernie Taupin re-wrote the lyrics for 'Candle In The Wind' to suit the occasion: Elton played the piano and sang the new words 'Goodbye England's Rose' during the service to commemorate the life of Diana, Princess of Wales. The single was released to raise funds for the Princess Diana Memorial Fund and it went on to become the biggest-selling record of all time with worldwide sales of around 37 million copies. It is now consigned to history as Elton has vowed never to perform it again. Outspoken Elton If there is a better singer in England than Craig David , then I am Margaret Thatcher .

Elton is well known for speaking his mind, his sense of humour and caustic wit: When Madonna won an award for 'Best Live Act' he made a comment about lip-synching (miming) - although he later apologized, saying he 'shouldn't have singled her out'. It's great for sex but really it's an a******e's drug. What They Say About Him It could only happen for Elton. - Lulu, remarking on the two-mile traffic jam of celebrities after Elton's nuptials. For Elton, when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping. - A close friend. That night [6 December, 2000] I saw an amazing man that I never knew existed. I saw a rocker and a ballad maker, a man who could send shivers up my spine with his music. - Sonia G, webmaster of Elton John's Dark Diamond fansite. Elton's Spending Power Elton loves to shop, and he once spent nearly £40m in just under two years, which included £100,000 on flowers.

He owns a 37-acre estate in Windsor, a house in London's exclusive Holland Park and homes in the south of France, Los Angeles and New York. Oh, and Watford Football Club. His fortune is conservatively estimated at £150m. He is very proud to be British and continues to live in the country even though he pays tax at the higher rate of 40%. Generously, he also buys Cartier watches for his staff, and he also spent £120,000 on catering for his 50th birthday party in 1997. Elton's Hair - Or Lack Of It Elton's hair started to recede when he was quite young. Absolutely hating this state of affairs he set out to do something about this permanent bad hair day . He tried hair transplants, producing some quite horrific pictures in the media when it went wrong. Nowadays he wears a wig - but he still insists it's a hair transplant. Elton and the Press Elton issued a lawsuit against The Sun newspaper when they printed a story about him approaching a 'rent boy' for sex, and eventually proved the allegations to be totally false. He received £1m in damages which he donated to charity.

At an airport in Taiwan in 2004, Elton was besieged by photographers and TV crews when he arrived for a gig. He got upset and reportedly started shouting Rude, vile pigs at them. Elton was distressed that security measures had failed to protect him but he went through with his performance so as not to disappoint his fans. Elton Trivia Most of Elton John's LPs weren't made from black vinyl. They might look black, but if you find certain old, original pressings and hold one up to the light you'll see that it's actually a shade of deep, dark red and it is translucent. Elton enjoys playing tennis and his favourite food is Indian. In 1985 Elton performed at the historic Live Aid concert. Elton loves to do something different. He turned up for his 50th birthday bash dressed as King Louis XIV in full regalia. When asked to take part in Live 8 by Bob Geldof , he performed his song then introduced Pete Doherty of the Babyshambles. Elton kissed Doherty's hand - then accompanied his rendition of 'Children of the Revolution' on the piano. Elton is 5'7" tall.

After a heart health-scare, Elton was fitted with a pacemaker. There is a wax model of Elton in London's 'Madame Tussauds' exhibition. Singer and actress Jennifer Lopez has admitted there's a bit of mutual appreciation between her and Elton. She says Elton likes her music and they've spoken about possibly doing a duet together. Elton's spokesperson cannot be reached. One of his favourite artists is Country singer Jim Reeves (1923 - 1964). On 18 November, 2004, Elton appeared on the Richard and Judy show and talked candidly about his life, including tantrums, the press and flowers. Other notable guest appearances include Ally McBeal, Will & Grace, The Simpsons , South Park, The Nanny and The Muppet Show. Elton is planning a movie based on his life. He is hoping Justin Timberlake will play him as a young man.

Duets People who have duetted with Elton include: Eric Clapton, Kiki Dee, Pete Doherty, Eminem, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, kd Lang, John Lennon, George Michael, Luciano Pavarotti, Bonnie Raitt, Sir Cliff Richard, Little Richard , RuPaul, Jennifer Rush, Dusty Springfield , Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, and Paul Young. 1 Elton's song 'Empty Garden' is a tribute to John Lennon, who in 1974 had made his last stage performance at one of Elton's concerts. 2 This was a posthumous Lennon release. 3 Performed with Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder . 4 The date that same-sex union ceremonies became legal in England. 5 With Janet Street-Porter performing the duty of 'best man'.

George Michael Accused Of Having Sex Romp In London Park | kittyradio George Michael Accused Of Having Sex Romp In London Park debaser suicide pact - you first Joined: [SIZE=+2]George Michael Accused Of Having Sex Romp In London Park[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]Monday July 24, 2006 @ 06:00 PM[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1] By: ChartAttack.com Staff [/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]George Michael [/SIZE]George Michael was caught in the bushes of a London, England park with a man who claims to have had a sexual encounter with him last week, according to the British News Of The World tabloid. Investigators working for the newspaper said the 43-year-old pop star yelled, "I don't believe it! Fuck off! If you put those pictures in the paper, I'll sue!" after emerging from the bushes in Hampstead Heath. The paper obviously didn't pay heed to Michael's warning, as it published a number of photos in the paper and on its website. "This is my culture," said Michael before speeding off in his Mercedes. "I'm not doing anything illegal.

"The police don't even come up here any more. I'm a free man. I can do whatever I want. I'm not harming anyone." The man who Michael allegedly had the dalliance with, 58-year-old pot-bellied jobless van driver Norman Kirtland, left quickly in his Ford van. But he was later tracked down at his "squalid flat" in Brighton, where News Of The World described the scene like this: "Looking gross and disheveled, Kirtland answered the door naked — pulling on grimy shorts as he invited us in." "I don't even like George Michael," Kirtland told the paper. "And I didn't recognize him immediately. "He told me I could contact him on the Gaydar website and we just started kissing. He did it very well. That was one of his major points. Then it was fondling and mutual pleasuring. It wasn't full sex, but it was fantastic." Michael has denied the tabloid's report. His longtime partner, Kenny Goss, said this when he was interviewed by the Irish Examiner outside the former Wham! member's London mansion: "George is not going to say anything today. He has already said what he wants.

This is behind us. That is everything we are going to say on the subject. We are getting on with the rest of our lives." If the story is true, it wouldn't be the first time that Michael has found himself in a situation like this. He was apprehended in a public washroom in Los Angeles eight years ago by an off-duty police officer and was accused of "engaging in lewd conduct." He received a small fine and had to carry out 80 hours of community service. It's been a rough year for the man born Georgios Kyriacos Panayitou. He was arrested in February after being slumped over and asleep at the wheel of his car with class C drugs (which include marijuana and some amphetamines) early one morning. Police also investigated an April incident where Michael allegedly hit three parked cars before driving away. George Michael: Kenny approves stranger sex George Michael insists lover Kenny Goss doesn't mind him having gay sex with strangers. The singer, who was caught engaged in sex acts with a jobless van driver on London's Hampstead Heath last week, insists Goss accepts his promiscuous behaviour.

Michael also refused to apologise for his actions during a phone interview with British TV chat show hosts Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan yesterday (25.07.06). He said: "I've got no issue with cruising. I've talked about it many times. It's never been an issue between us. "We had a lovely tenth anniversary party. My present to him was a million quid so I think I should get away with so-called fooling around with 'Bernard Manning'. I've no idea who that guy was but thank-you very much, whoever he was." Reports had suggested that Goss had cancelled the couple's upcoming 'wedding', but the 'Fast Love' singer insists the pair's civil ceremony is still on and will happen once the interest in his private life has calmed down. Michael explained: "We knew with all the rubbish between us that we couldn't get a private wedding, so we have postponed it. "I don't want people to think my life is troubled when it's not.

I'm a man who has been successful for 25 years." He added: "There can't be shame unless the people involved are ashamed and I'm certainly not that." BBC NEWS | Entertainment | The ups and downs of George Michael The ups and downs of George Michael George Michael kicked off his latest tour in September George Michael is considered a musical veteran in today's climate of short-lived manufactured singers and bands. But the career of the outspoken singer has also been one dogged by ups and downs, with his fair share of controversy, exemplified by his caution for possession of cannabis in London. He started out in boy band Wham! as the lead singer alongside guitarist Andrew Ridgeley, whom he met at school in north London. The pair had a massive following, carving out a huge fan young fan base with hits such as Wake me Up Before You Go Go, Freedom and Last Christmas. The group had four best-selling albums, including a greatest hits release in 1997. Michael, who was born Georgios Panaytiotou, had his first stab at solo success in 1984 with the ballad Careless Whisper, which went to number one. Wham!

were the biggest boyband of their time He continued performing with Wham! and it wasn't until 1986 that the duo went their separate ways, with Ridgeley devoting his time to rally driving and later becoming an environmental activist. Michael re-invented his image and released the singles A Different Corner, Faith and I Want Your Sex. These were taken from his number one album Faith which established him as one of the UK's biggest solo talents. While he still appealed to young fans he also managed to gain a new older following, ensuring massive record sales. 'Professional slavery' Faith sold more than 10 million copies and earned Michael a best album Grammy in 1988. The album Listen Without Prejudice followed in 1990, which spawned the hit single Praying for Time. But he fell out spectacularly with his record company in 1994 and tried to get himself released from his contract which he had called "professional slavery". A three-month court case ensued which Michael eventually lost, forcing him to fulfil his contractual commitments and record two more songs - Outside and As - to be used on a greatest hits album.

He eventually settled his differences with the company and parted company with them in 2003. George Michael split with Wham in 1986 In 2002, Michael found himself in the firing line when he released the single Shoot the Dog, which featured a cartoon video of Prime Minister Tony Blair as US President George Bush's poodle. There was a particular backlash against it in US because it was seen as anti-American, with Michael fearing he would be unable to the return to the US. Despite the huge publicity the single reached only number 12 in the UK charts. More recently Michael said he was thinking about retiring from the music business, but later backtracked. He has embarked on his first tour in more than a decade to mark his 25 years in the music business, with sold out UK dates beginning in November. Michael has suffered a number of legal woes in recent years, starting when he was arrested in a public toilet in Los Angeles after attempting to solicit an undercover police officer in 1998. Chart success His conviction for lewd conduct resulted in a $450 fine and 80 hours community service.

It also forced Michael to admit he was gay, something he had refused to be drawn on in the past. Once he put his sexuality in the public domain he became vocal about gay issues, speaking publicly about the death of his partner Aselmo to Aids in the early 1990s. He struggled to achieve the heights of his early chart success but he was more content in his personal life, often speaking glowingly about long-term partner Kenny Goss. Michael has been with Kenny Goss (L) for many years In July this year Michael admitted seeking "anonymous and no-strings sex" on London's Hampstead Heath, which he described as "the best cruising ground in London". In an interview with BBC News he said he planned to take legal action against a man who claimed he had a gay encounter with the singer on the Heath, and he also said he planned to sue two photographers for harassment. But he denied his planned civil partnership ceremony with Mr Goss was called off over his "cruising" saying "it has never been an issue between us".

George: I'm not ashamed of cruising | Daily Mail Online George: I'm not ashamed of cruising By KATIE HIND, Daily Mail Last updated at 09:10 27 July 2006 George Michael has insisted he feels no shame about his seedy encounter with a stranger in a London park. The 43-year-old star spoke out after being caught emerging from the bushes with pot-bellied jobless van driver Norman Kirtland last week on London's notorious homosexual haunt Hampstead Heath. In a frank telephone interview on Channel 4's Richard and Judy show, the former Wham! star said he believed there was nothing wrong with having sex with strangers in public places, which is known as cruising. MORE • Erratic George Michael's new shame He said: 'I've got no issue with cruising, it is something I have talked abut many times. 'You can't be in shame about the situation if the person isn't shamed, and I am certainly not that. 'I should be able to be what I am to young, gay people, which is a man who has succeeded in the industry for 25 years.

'Sorry if people don't like the fact I cruise on Hampstead Heath but the police absolutely accept that it goes on at night, it's the only place in London where that is so it's generally a safe place.' Michael, who is believed to be worth £50 million also compared himself to a 'gay Wayne Rooney'. Referring to the Manchester United footballer's teenage sexual revels with ageing prostitutes, he added: 'They have to make me look like a gay Wayne Rooney, don't they?' The singer, who lives with long-term partner Kenny Goss, 48, in a £5 million mansion in London's Highgate - which is less than a mile from Hampstead Heath also compared the man he encountered in the bushes as a Bernard Manning lookalike. Ridiculing his actions, Michael said: 'As much as I don't want to be ageist or fattist, it's dark out there but it's not that dark. 'I've no idea who that guy was, but thank you very much.' However, following Michael's latest encounter he confirmed that his 'marriage' to Texan Goss has been postponed for the time being, as the Daily Mail revealed on Tuesday.

The pair were due to marry this month after Michael revealed they would hold a civil ceremony similar to Elton John and David Furnish on their tenth anniversary. He also revealed how he had already spent £1 million on a present for Goss to celebrate their ten years together, which he hopes will gloss over his latest sordid encounter: 'He should forgive me after that,' said Michael. His new shame echoes the incident which revealed his sexuality to the world - and which also led to him losing millions of fans - when he was caught trying to have sex in a California public toilet by an undercover policeman in 1998. However, more fears have grown for him recently. In February Michael was charged with possession of cannabis after being found slumped at the wheel of his car in Hyde Park. He said at the time: 'It was my own stupid fault, as usual.' However, just two months later he was investigated by police again when he collided with three parked cars near his home and did not inform their owners. Despite his erratic behaviour, Michael's career appears to have been unscathed.

Only days after damaging the cars in his £60,000 Range Rover more than 200,000 tickets for his first concerts in 15 years sold out within half an hour. During his quarter of a century as a musician, Michael has sold an estimated 100 million albums.

Question: Which singer postponed his civil ceremony with long time partner Kenny Goss in 2006?
Answer: GEORGE MICHAEL